Patents by Inventor Robert A. McLaughlin

Robert A. McLaughlin has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11756428
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a system for resource transportation comprises a routing command subsystem. In some embodiments, the routing command subsystem is configured to be communicably coupled to a first input device at a first location, the first input device configured to determine a first resource factor of a resource at the first location and a location input device associated with a transporter, the transporter configured to transport the resource, the location input device configured to determine a transporter location. In some embodiments, the routing command subsystem is further configured to change a first endpoint of a transporter route to a first alternate location based at least in part on the first resource factor and the transporter location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Vorto Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Priyesh Ranjan, Samuel Robert McLaughlin
  • Publication number: 20230277154
    Abstract: An ultrasound imaging system configured to assess a blood flow rate through a target vessel. The ultrasound imaging system includes an ultrasound probe having an ultrasound array configured to capture ultrasound image of the target vessel and a doppler array configured to detect the fluid flow through a region of interest of the target vessel. Logic operations of a console of the system and methods include determining a region of interest of the ultrasound image, calculating a percentage of the blood vessel occupied by the vascular access device, utilizing a data training set to predict a blood flow rate after placement of the vascular access device based on a blood flow rate prior to placement of the vascular device, and utilizing a data training set to predict a blood flow rate downstream of the vascular access device based on a blood flow rate upstream of the vascular device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2023
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Inventors: Steffan Sowards, William Robert McLaughlin, Anthony K. Misener
  • Publication number: 20230277153
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an ultrasound imaging system configured to assess the impact of placement of a vascular access device on fluid flow through a target vessel. The ultrasound imaging system includes an ultrasound probe having an ultrasound array configured to capture one or more ultrasound images of the target vessel and a Doppler array configured to detect the fluid flow through a region of interest of the target vessel. The ultrasound imaging system further includes a console in communication with each of the ultrasound array and the Doppler array, the console configured to determine the region of interest of the target vessel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2022
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Inventors: Steffan Sowards, William Robert McLaughlin, Anthony K. Misener
  • Publication number: 20230251150
    Abstract: A system, apparatus and method directed to detecting damage to an optical fiber. The optical fiber includes core fibers including a plurality of sensors configured to (i) reflect a light signal based on received incident light, and (ii) change a characteristic of the reflected light signal based on experienced strain. The system can include a console having memory storing logic that, when executed, causes operations of providing receiving reflected light signals of different spectral widths of the broadband incident light by one or more of the plurality of sensors, processing the reflected light signals to detect fluctuations of a portion of the optical fiber, and determining a location of the portion of the optical fiber or a defect affecting a vessel in which the portion is disposed based on the detected fluctuations. The portion may be a distal tip of the optical fiber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2023
    Publication date: August 10, 2023
    Inventors: Anthony K. Misener, Steffan Sowards, Shayne Messerly, William Robert McLaughlin
  • Publication number: 20230248444
    Abstract: A system, apparatus and method directed to detecting malposition of a medical device within a vessel of a patient, such as an Azygos vein. The medical device can include a multi-core optical fiber including a plurality of core fibers, where each of the plurality of core fibers includes a plurality of sensors is configured to reflect a light signal based on received incident light, and change a characteristic of the reflected light signal for use in determining a physical state of the multi-core optical fiber. The system can include a console having non-transitory computer-readable medium storing logic that, when executed, causes operations of providing a broadband incident light signal to the multi-core optical fiber, receiving reflected light signals, processing the reflected light signals, and determining whether the medical device has entered the Azygos vein of the patient based on the reflected light signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2023
    Publication date: August 10, 2023
    Applicant: Bard Access Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony K. Misener, Steffan Sowards, William Robert McLaughlin
  • Publication number: 20230243715
    Abstract: A system, apparatus and method directed to detecting damage to an optical fiber of a medical device. The optical fiber includes one or more core fibers each including a plurality of sensors configured to (i) reflect a light signal based on received incident light, and (ii) alter the reflected light signal for use in determining a physical state of the multi-core optical fiber. The system also includes a console having non-transitory computer-readable medium storing logic that, when executed, causes operations of providing a broadband incident light signal to the multi-core optical fiber, receiving reflected light signals, receiving reflected light signals of different spectral widths of the broadband incident light by one or more of the plurality of sensors, identifying at least one unexpected spectral width or a lack of an expected spectral width, and determining the damage has occurred to the optical fiber based on the identification.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2023
    Publication date: August 3, 2023
    Inventors: Anthony K. Misener, Steffan Sowards, William Robert McLaughlin
  • Publication number: 20230194795
    Abstract: An optical connector cleaning device configured to couple with and perform an optical cleaning and a disinfection of an optical connector of a medical device. The cleaning device includes a holding section and a cleaning section extending away from the holding section, the cleaning section extendable through a sterile barrier. A cleaning ribbon and a disinfecting ribbon, having a disinfectant absorbed therein, extend across a tip of the cleaning device so as to be sandwiched between the tip and the optical connector. An optical assessment system of the device evaluates optical transmission of the optical connector. Manipulation of actuators causes sliding displacement of the cleaning ribbon and the disinfecting ribbon across a tip of the cleaning device. Replaceable cartridges store unused and used portions of the cleaning ribbon and a disinfecting ribbon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2022
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Inventors: Steffan Sowards, Anthony K. Misener, William Robert McLaughlin
  • Publication number: 20230148872
    Abstract: A medical system that includes a temperature scanning device configured to identify and locate blood vessels by obtaining a thermal image from a skin surface where blood flowing within blood vessels beneath the skin surface has been altered to define temperature variations of the skin. The system includes a console configured to communicate with the temperature scanning device, the console including processors and logic that, when executed by the processors, causes operations including defining the thermal image. The system may further include a camera, and/or an ultrasound probe. The thermal image may be portrayed on various forms of a display include augmented reality glasses. The thermal image may be overlayed onto a camera image and/or an ultrasound image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2022
    Publication date: May 18, 2023
    Inventors: Steffan Sowards, William Robert McLaughlin, Anthony K. Misener
  • Publication number: 20230148993
    Abstract: An ultrasound-imaging system includes an ultrasound probe and a console. The ultrasound probe includes (i) an array of ultrasonic transducers, activated ultrasonic transducers of the array of ultrasonic transducers configured to emit generated ultrasound signals into a patient, receive reflected ultrasound signals from the patient, and convert the reflected ultrasound signals into corresponding electrical signals of the ultrasound signals for processing into an ultrasound image, and (ii) a secondary data collection module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2022
    Publication date: May 18, 2023
    Inventors: Steffan Sowards, William Robert McLaughlin, Anthony K. Misener
  • Publication number: 20230147164
    Abstract: An ultrasound imaging system including an ultrasound probe having an array of ultrasonic transducers configured to emit generated ultrasound signals into a patient, receive reflected ultrasound signals from the patient, and convert the reflected ultrasound signals into corresponding electrical signals of the ultrasound signals for processing into ultrasound images. The system includes a console having a processor to execute logic that, when executed, causes operations including capturing first and second ultrasound images of a target insertion area of a patient at a first time, generating and causing rendering of a notification indicating results of a comparison of the first ultrasound image and the second ultrasound image. The operations can also include determining, via a machine learning model, whether the second ultrasound image corresponds to the second ultrasound image by at least a threshold amount, and providing a visual indication of a result of applying the trained machine learning model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2022
    Publication date: May 11, 2023
    Inventors: Steffan Sowards, William Robert McLaughlin, Anthony K. Misener
  • Publication number: 20230138970
    Abstract: An ultrasound-imaging system includes an ultrasound probe coupled with a console. Operations of the system can include detecting one or more blood vessels within the ultrasound image and identifying each blood vessel as a vein, an artery or other anatomic element using doppler ultrasound functionality of the ultrasound probe. Operations can also include determining a confidence for the blood vessel identification, and defining a window for doppler ultrasound operation. Operations can further include assessing a blood flow rate within blood vessels, and superimposing notifications atop the ultrasound image pertaining to the identity of the blood vessel including a confidence for the identity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2022
    Publication date: May 4, 2023
    Inventors: Steffan Sowards, Anthony K. Misener, William Robert McLaughlin
  • Publication number: 20230135562
    Abstract: An ultrasound-imaging system can include an ultrasound probe, a console, and a display screen. The ultrasound probe includes an array of ultrasonic transducers that, when activated, emit generated ultrasound signals into a patient, receive reflected ultrasound signals from the patient, and convert the reflected ultrasound signals into corresponding electrical signals for processing into ultrasound images. Operations of the system can include detecting one or more black holes within the ultrasound image and identifying each black hole as a vein, an artery or other anatomic element using doppler ultrasound functionality of the ultrasound probe. Operations can also include defining a window for doppler ultrasound operation, and assessing a blood flow rate within blood vessels. Operations can also include rendering notifications atop the ultrasound image pertaining to the identity of the black hole without obstructing the image of black hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2022
    Publication date: May 4, 2023
    Inventors: Anthony K. Misener, Steffan Sowards, William Robert McLaughlin
  • Publication number: 20230132148
    Abstract: Dynamically adjusting ultrasound-imaging systems include an ultrasound probe, a console, and a display screen. The ultrasound probe includes an array of ultrasonic transducers that, when activated, emit generated ultrasound signals into a patient, receive reflected ultrasound signals from the patient, and convert the reflected ultrasound signals into corresponding electrical signals for processing into ultrasound images. The console is configured to execute instructions for defining an orientation of an image plane with respect to a blood vessel based on a shape a blood image and further with respect to a direction of blood flow within the blood vessel via doppler ultrasound. The orientation of image plane may be defined by a comparison of an ultrasound image with corresponding ultrasound images stored in memory. The system may automatically reorient the image plane to align with the blood vessel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2022
    Publication date: April 27, 2023
    Inventors: Steffan Sowards, Anthony K. Misener, William Robert McLaughlin
  • Publication number: 20230126813
    Abstract: A system and method directed to detecting placement of a medical device within a patient body, the system including a medical device including an optical fiber having core fibers. Each of the one or more core fibers can include a plurality of sensors each configured to reflect a light signal having an altered characteristic due to strain experienced by the optical fiber. The system can further include logic configured to determine a 3D shape of the medical device in accordance with the strain of the optical fiber. The logic can be configured to define a reference plane for the 3D shape and render an image of the 3D shape on a display of the system in accordance with the reference plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2022
    Publication date: April 27, 2023
    Inventors: Steffan Sowards, Anthony K. Misener, William Robert McLaughlin
  • Publication number: 20230121370
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system that includes an ultrasound imaging probe having a first optical fiber integrated therein and a console optically coupled with the ultrasound imaging probe via a first elongate member. The console includes one or more processors and a non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon logic, that when executed by the one or more processors, causes operations that can include providing an incident light signal to the first optical fiber via the first elongate member, receiving reflected light signals of different spectral widths of the incident light from the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber, processing the reflected light signals to determine a first three-dimensional (3D) shape extending along a length including at least portions of the first optical fiber and the second optical fiber, and causing rendering of an image of the first 3D shape on a display of the medical system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2022
    Publication date: April 20, 2023
    Inventors: Steffan Sowards, William Robert McLaughlin, Anthony K. Misener
  • Patent number: 11630009
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system, apparatus and method directed to detecting damage to an optical fiber of a medical device. The optical fiber includes core fibers including a plurality of sensors configured to (i) reflect a light signal based on received incident light, and (ii) change a characteristic of the reflected light signal based on experienced strain. The system also includes a console having memory storing logic that, when executed, causes operations of providing receiving reflected light signals of different spectral widths of the broadband incident light by one or more of the plurality of sensors, processing the reflected light signals to detect fluctuations of a portion of the optical fiber, and determining a location of the portion of the optical fiber or a defect affecting a vessel in which the portion is disposed based on the detected fluctuations. The portion may be a distal tip of the optical fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Bard Access Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony K. Misener, Steffan Sowards, Shayne Messerly, William Robert McLaughlin
  • Patent number: 11622816
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system, apparatus and method directed to detecting malposition of a medical device within a vessel of a patient, such as an Azygos vein. The medical device can include a multi-core optical fiber including a plurality of core fibers, where each of the plurality of core fibers includes a plurality of sensors is configured to reflect a light signal based on received incident light, and change a characteristic of the reflected light signal for use in determining a physical state of the multi-core optical fiber. The system can include a console having non-transitory computer-readable medium storing logic that, when executed, causes operations of providing a broadband incident light signal to the multi-core optical fiber, receiving reflected light signals, processing the reflected light signals, and determining whether the medical device has entered the Azygos vein of the patient based on the reflected light signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Bard Access Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony K. Misener, Steffan Sowards, William Robert McLaughlin
  • Patent number: 11623361
    Abstract: Automated fiber placement (AFP) cutter blade assemblies, AFP cutter systems including the same, and associated methods. An AFP cutter blade assembly includes a blade base and a reversible blade insert configured to be coupled to the blade base in either of a first cutter blade configuration, in which a first cutting edge is an active cutting edge, and a second cutter blade configuration, in which a second cutting edge is the active cutting edge. In examples, an AFP cutter system includes a plurality of AFP cutter blade assemblies in combination with an actuator assembly. In examples, a method of reconfiguring a reversible blade insert of an AFP cutter blade assembly includes uncoupling the reversible blade insert from a blade base, rotating the reversible blade insert relative to the blade base, and operatively coupling the reversible blade insert to the blade base in a different configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Corydon D. Hilton, William D. Lindenberg, Bryan Robert McLaughlin, Derek Scott McCann
  • Patent number: 11624677
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system, apparatus and method directed to detecting damage to an optical fiber of a medical device. The optical fiber includes one or more core fibers each including a plurality of sensors configured to (i) reflect a light signal based on received incident light, and (ii) alter the reflected light signal for use in determining a physical state of the multi-core optical fiber. The system also includes a console having non-transitory computer-readable medium storing logic that, when executed, causes operations of providing a broadband incident light signal to the multi-core optical fiber, receiving reflected light signals, receiving reflected light signals of different spectral widths of the broadband incident light by one or more of the plurality of sensors, identifying at least one unexpected spectral width or a lack of an expected spectral width, and determining the damage has occurred to the optical fiber based on the identification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Bard Access Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony K. Misener, Steffan Sowards, William Robert McLaughlin
  • Publication number: 20230101030
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system and method directed to detecting placement of a medical device within a patient body, where the system includes a medical device including an optical fiber having core fibers. Each of the one or more core fibers includes a plurality of sensors that can be configured to reflect a light signal having an altered characteristic due to strain experienced by the optical fiber. The system further includes logic that can be configured to determine a 3D shape of the medical device in accordance with the strain of the optical fiber. The logic can further be configured to (i) define a reference frame for the 3D shape, and (ii) render an image of the 3D shape on a display of the system in accordance with the reference frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2022
    Publication date: March 30, 2023
    Inventors: Anthony K. Misener, Steffan Sowards, William Robert McLaughlin